Here is a basic outline of how I connect on a daily level with my Gods:

I) Approach my altar, either before bed, after waking, or when I feel like I need it.

II) I check the level of water in the Well. If there is enough, I light three candles, which are my triple Flame. If there is not enough, I fill the Well and then light the candles.

III) I breathe in deeply.

IV) If I choose a breath pattern to follow, it is always 4-2-4-2 (inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 4, hold for 2, repeat).

V) I know at this point whether I need to open the Gates or not. Most often, I don't open the Gates because I feel that either it would be improper, or that it is unnecessary.

VI) If I open the Gates, I do the following steps:

. A) I call on Mannanan Mac Lir to join His Magic with mine, silently or verbally.
. B) I open each gate: the Well, the Fire, and the Tree, respectively.
. C) I either simply open myself to the Powers, or I make offering, again depending on what I feel is correct.

. . 1) I make different sacrifices depending on the day. The correspondences and rationale follow:

. . . a) Monday: Moon's day. Because of the association with Luna and therefore the Earth Herself, I make sacrifice to the Earth on this day. Usually, this is a sacrifice of grain.
. . . b) Tuesday: Tyr's day. Because Tyr is the God of Justice, I give sacrifice to the Ancestors. Often this is beer.
. . . c) Wednesday: Odin's Day. Odin is leader of the Aesir, the Gods and Goddesses. Because of this, I honour all the Gods. Their usual sacrifice is either wine or grain.
. . . d) Thursday: Thor's day. As Thor was the patron deity of many ancient Pagans, I have chosen this day to honour my own patrons, Esus and Eris. I sacrifice to Them grains, beer, and the occasional oddity.
. . . e) Friday: Freyja's day. Freyja is a fertility and land Goddess, and on this day I honour the Kindred and nature spirits. Usual sacrifices include birdseed and grains.
. . . f) Saturday: Saturn's day. Saturn would be an outdweller to the Romans, and so on this day I give sacrifice to the Outdwellers, to keep Them from troubling my rites in the next week. The sacrifice is something I found called "Dead Guy Ale".
. . . g) Sunday: Sun's day. On this day, I honour all the above with appropriate sacrifices. High Days are usually celebrated by my Grove on these days, and sometimes I simply incoporate this into a larger rite.

. D) I open myself to the words of the Gods and Goddesses. Usually, these are very, very private words. I don't sit in quiet meditation; "meditation" simply isn't the correct word for this. It's more just an opening.

. E) I thank the Powers for coming, and ask that They go in peace.

. F) I close the Gates.

. . 1) Again I ask Mannanan to join His Magic with mine.
. . 2) I close each Gate: Tree, Fire and Well, respectively.
. . 3) I thank Mannanan for his presence, and ask that He go in peace.

VII) I extinguish the candles and either go to bed or go on with my day.

Content © 2003, Michael J Dangler
Updated on 02/18/2003. Site Credits / Email Me!
Basic site design from ADF.org
(Yes, I stole it!)